The Mark of the Warrior
by Vulpecula Night
Summary: Lex thought they would leave her alone. However, gaining the attention of the clan's matriarch made that nigh impossible. She doesn't want her as prey though. In a matriarchy, strong female warriors are needed. Some changes are necessary though... S/L
1. Hult'ah

This is my first attempt at this genre. This will be a **transformation story**, but will be done so in a vastly different way than what I have found so far on this website. That will be some time down the road, though, so you'll have to wait and see. There will, of course, be Lex and Scar interaction. Again, though, this will be a little while yet. Also, the yautja society, from what I've researched, is based off of a matriarchy. I intend on keeping this concept.

I have some more information about my intentions for this story and other such items, but instead of having all of the material sit at the top of the page, I decided to move it to the space at the bottom of the chapter. If you so wish, feel free to read it, especially if you would be willing to help me find some more information about yautja, their society, and other similar materials.

Again, thank you for clicking on my story, and I hope you enjoy. I'll do my best to entertain you.

I do not own AvP, AvPR, Alien(s) or Predator(s). If I did, the plot for AvPR would actually have focused on the continuing story of Alexa Woods and Scar, Scar wouldn't have died at the end of AvP, and he wouldn't have been blown up with the ship by Wolf in AvPR.

* * *

Chapter 1: _Hult'ah_

The cold, bitter wind of the Antarctic air snapped at the small plot of land known as Bouvetoya Island. Gusts caught the snow blanketing the ground, forcing the powder to move and dance across the barren wasteland to an unknown yet unique rhythm. It found little resistance as it sped over the ice, its howl the only sound heard for miles around. That is, except for where the small, abandoned whaling station of Razorback Point* once stood. There, the crisp cracking of ice as chunks of the once solid ground fell and settled at the bottom of a deep cavern broke through the wind's rage. Strangely enough, the only thing in the area that made no noise at all were the engines of the alien ship that hovered just beyond the edge of the shelf.

The near blinding lights from the ship's three entrances outlined numerous figures not of this world standing within, along with a few others proceeding down the loading ramps. However, two figures appeared to be spotlighted by the nearly white glow, both individuals vastly different from the other.

The taller, _yautja_ elder studied the petite, dark-skinned, female _ooman_ standing before him. Small, yellow calculating eyes locked into calm yet cautious dark brown. She barely blinked. This creature only stood quietly before him, allowing herself to be examined, arms resting at her side. She appeared deceptively demure at that moment. However, only minutes earlier, she had shown herself to be quite the opposite.

From what he had been taught about this particular prey species, most females were not highly regarded. Even though they were the ones that were essentially responsible for the continuation of their people by birthing and raising their young, females were seen as second class and were forced into submission. With time, theologies eventually changed, yet sentiment towards the smaller of the genders was still tainted with past teachings. It was a stark contrast to his own species.

Yet here stood this _ooman_, not timid, but fierce. He had watched the image relays from the _jehdin_ during their _Kainde Amedha Chiva_ as they observed the groups of _oomans_ dispersed throughout the temple. When this particular one was challenged, she bit back. She refused to have her authority questioned, especially regarding her knowledge of expertise of the environment and her duties to the entire group. Her survival instinct was strong, and while not initially a fighter, she fought with the ferocity of one.

Although by no means trained in any sort of combat (of that he could be easily assured), she still survived where the rest of the _oomans_, and even two of the _jehdin_, had perished.

His eyes moved over to her cheek where the _sain'ja_ had marked her with their clan's symbol. The bright red of the two lines stood out sharply on her dark skin. He then quickly looked to the young warrior spread out in the snow, phosphorescent blood now slowly oozing from the large through and through wound in his stomach. This _sain'ja_, S'kya-tana, still fought Cetanu even in his unconscious state. However, the Dark Warrior would soon win unless they were able to get him on the ship within the next few minutes. He had already proven himself to be an honorable warrior within the temple. To fight a _kainde amedha _queen and win was an even further testament to his skill.

Yes, S'kya-tana had been rightfully marked as a warrior.

Even as these thoughts brushed the surface of his mind, four other _sain'ja _moved into his line of sight, two compacted poles carried with them. Assured that the comatose warrior would be taken care of, he returned to his assessment of the female before him. Again, his eyes traveled to the mark. He clicked in contemplation as he studied it for a few more moments.

_So small and comparatively weak_, he thought, _yet so much inner strength…and potential._

With a final growl, he made his decision with a mental nod of affirmation.

_Yes, she too is indeed a warrior. _

He raised his _ki'cti-pa_ before him. As he lifted it to her eye level, he retracted the ends into its compact form. The elder was silently pleased at the _ooman_'_s _near nonexistent reaction. She only emitted a short gasp before once again locking eyes with him. Good.

He waited for her to take the _ki'cti-pa_ from his outstretched hand. As she tentatively grasped the spear, he slowly released it from his hold, aware of her slight difficulty in holding the object at first due to her smaller hands. With the weight equally balanced in her hand, she looked up and nodded. Whether it be in thanks or understanding, it did not matter. The elder growled one final time before spinning around and walking back up the main loading ramp, his cape snapping in the wind.

* * *

The elder sighed quietly to himself as he exited the loading bay. Even though the ship's motion dampers prevented the occupants within from noticing, he could still tell that they had already lifted off from the ice and were well on their way into the upper atmosphere and the black void of space that lay beyond. His mandibles moved closer together in contemplation, the only visible sign of the thoughts currently running through his mind. The outcome of the recent _Kainde Amedha Chiva_ has been quite unexpected, one that could not go unnoticed. And it certainly hadn't.

Deep in his thoughts, he wasn't aware as his feet carried him throughout the ship and eventually led him to the main entrance to the medical bay. He paused and looked up as he realized his current location. He hesitated a few seconds before walking towards the door which slid apart to allow him entry. The elder walked past the empty berths and a few medical personnel milling about before stopping before a rather large window. In the room shown beyond the glass, five yautja moved about a prone figure resting on another berth.

He chittered quietly as he watched them work on the being that was one half of the cause of his current musings. The other half stood on a frozen piece of land in the lower hemisphere of her planet. She was probably looking for some way back to civilization by now if she wasn't already on her way there. He had no doubts that she would survive the subzero weather and treacherous environment. After all, she had helped defeat a queen. Otherwise, she wouldn't have garnered the amount of attention that she had, and certainly not from _her_.

Yes, _that_ particular conversation had gone quite interestingly…

"_Dhi'rauta, to what do I owe the pleasure?" asked the holographic figure of the imposing female yautja. The tone, while formally polite, held only room for business. Her unmasked face held dark green eyes set against olive skin mottled with red and black.** Like most yautja females, she was larger than the opposite gender, an intimidation factor that was hardly necessary for their species yet was still present nonetheless._

_Standing in the Communications Sector, Dhi'rauta stood before the holographic image of the imposing female. To his left was the projected image of the transmitted visuals from S'kya-tana on the planet below. _

_Dhi'rauta nodded his head and shoulders at the holograph. After all, it would do well to show respect to the head of his clan._

"_Matron Mother,"*** he replied calmly, "I have something here that I believe you might be interested in seeing." _

"_Oh really? And what might that be?" _

"_As you are aware, this is the time of the Kainde Amedha Chiva. The chiva did not go according to plan due to unforeseen circumstances. The kainde amedha multiplied far more quickly than the jehdin could cope with. Two of them have perished. However, an ooman has joined the last one and they have successfully destroyed any evidence of the outbreak. The ooman has been marked by the new sain'ja."_

_The Matron Mother's mandibles expanded as she chittered, the yautja equivalent of raising an eyebrow. _

"_And what is so important about a marked ooman? Although rare, it has been done befo—"_

"_The ooman is female and is now aiding the sain'ja in fighting the kainde amedha queen."_

_The elder had watched S'kya-tana's progression through the pyramid and his alliance with the female ooman. It was only after the queen had burst from the rubble of the explosion and began to advance on the two that he felt it necessary to contact the other yautja._

_The Matron Mother paused at his interruption. For a few moments she barely issued a sound before bobbing her head in a quick nod. _

"_Patch it through," she ordered, intrigued. _

_Dhi'rauta knew that such an unusual situation would pique the interest of their matriarch. Females of this planet rarely fought as warriors or anything close to that caste. And those that did usually weren't recognized to the same extent as their male counterparts. _

_However, he highly doubted that many warriors of this planet would take on a kainde amedha queen armed only with a spear and shield made out of parts from one of the creature's own children. _

_The two observed the battle through the eyes of S'kya-tana. They watched as the ooman dashed forward with her spear and plunged it into the underside of the queen just as she was about to land the final blow with her tail to the sain'ja. Although her spear was lost due to the creature's acidic blood, her main objective of gaining the queen's attention was achieved. Acting as a distraction, she ran for cover of the nearby water tower. In her anger, the creature remained unaware of the approaching yautja until it was too late. She staggered away from her target as a ki'cti-pa was embedded deep into the side of her neck. _

_The two observing yautja were rather impressed with the ooman's plan as they realized what she was attempting to do with the chain. Although it would be unfortunate to lose a queen, she could not be allowed to survive. The clan ship had no room to store her safely for relocation. Even given the fact she was currently stuck on the barren wasteland of the Antarctic waters, this particular breed were known for their ability to survive in nearly any environment. She would find a way to live if she defeated the two and would begin to reproduce once more. _

_Yes, she would have to be eliminated; if not by the two currently on the ice then by the members of the clan aboard the ship that hid above. _

_With impassionate eye,s they watched as the tail of the queen finally found its mark in the abdomen of the yautja. He faced his death honorably with his mandibles spread and an angry growl. However, just as the creature's second set of jaws were about to bear down on the sain'ja's skull, he was flung to the side as the queen was whipped around. From his position in the snow, they could barely see the queen as she scrambled with her claws to grab purchase on the ice as she slipped over the edge. However, she was unable to fight the weight of the water tower coupled with her disadvantaged position. She toppled over the edge with a screech and a splash, silence reigning at last save for the fierce wind. _

"_Dhi'rauta, present her with the ceremonial ki'cti-pa," said the Matron Mother shortly after the battle had concluded. "Adjust the wavelength accordingly. She has proven herself worthy of being marked a sain'ja." _

_The elder nodded in affirmation as the Matron Mother's image disappeared in a flicker of lights. After giving the order to land, he made his way to the ship's altar to Paya upon which the ceremonial ki'cti-pa rested. Opening a nearly invisible compartment in the shaft, he fiddled with the circuitry inside before closing it once again. Even if one were to closely inspect the area, they would be hard pressed to find the lines that gave away the latch. He retrieved the weapon from its position and retracted the ends for easy mobility before making his way to the loading bay._

Yes, she was most definitely interested in the female _ooman_. Dhi'rauta had not expected her to take _that_ particular route, though. He knew of the theory behind what she had planned. However, he had never heard of such a situation actually occurring. This was new territory, and while he placed a large amount of faith in his matriarch, Dhi'rauta was still concerned about how this would play out.

Paya willing, there would few complications.

His musings were broken however when a shrill beeping sounded from a scanner from within the room that held S'kya-tana. He looked up and gasped at what he saw on the monitors. Within S'kya-tana's chest cavity wriggled a _kainde amedha_ larvae.

And it was breaking its way through his ribs.

If this was a message from Paya, it was a sign that events were not going to turn out well.

As the larvae erupted from the body, dodging shots and projectiles from the other yautja in the room, Dhi'rauta could only say one thing as the creature slipped into a vent in the room and out of sight.

"_C'jit_!"

* * *

Well, here's chapter 1. Please review! Feel free to let me know any thoughts, concerns, suggestions, etc. I am always open to opinions and critiques!

Translations/Notes

_Hult'ah_: Watcher

_Ooman_: slang for human

_Jehdin_: unblooded warrior

_Kainde Amedha Chiva_: Hard Meat (Xenomorph) Trial, a rite of passage

_Sain'ja_: warrior (I'm using this to mean 'one who is marked.')

_S'kya-tana_: Scar's yautja name (SkYAH-tah-nah)

_Cetanu_: the yautja god of death, also known as The Dark Warrior.

_Ki'cti-pa_: spear/lance/combistick

_Dhi'rauta_: the yautja elder of Scar's clan. The name translates into 'Cunning.'

_Paya_: the yautja warrior god

_C'jit_: Shit, but can also be loosely translated to damn.

*If you pause the film as the crew rolls into the whaling station, you'll see 'RAZORBACK POINT WHALING STATION: ANTARCTICA' printed on the metal siding of a building.

** The inspiration for her face can be found here: .com/?q=predator&order=9&offset=96&offset=144#/d2fbk9q This is by the artist Usurp73 on Devaintart. I have no claims of ownership over the image/model, only the idea of the character formed from it.

***For those of you who follow the series, yes, I just made a _Forgotten Realms _reference. I do not read the books. However, from what I have been told from my friends who follow the series religiously, the matriarchal heads of house of the drow in the books are powerful, imposing and down-right frightening. I find that fitting of a yautja matriarch as well.

(This is the extra info I mentioned at the beginning of the chapter.)

I have seen AvP quite a few times, and have read a large amount of fanfics about said film. I have also seen AvPR (which was not the best of movies, in my opinion) and every Alien and Predator movie, including the newly released one, Predators. However, from what I've seen from the fics written around these films, authors take general creative liberties when it comes to writing their stories. I see nothing wrong with this, and hopefully, neither do you.

I haven't read any of the books or comics that come with the franchise, so I am unsure of the actual political or social structure of either species in finite detail. While I have researched yautja via the Internet, I have only come across general information about the language, names, and infrastructure of the species. Therefore, I believe that I am within my right to create a new society based off of the evidence given in the movies. If anyone has any further information about the social structure of the yautja, especially concerning clans, females, the matriarchy, and how their names are created, please, contact me. I am more than willing to accept information.

Now, on another note, this story is mostly my stress reliever and creative outlet during my senior year at college. I am a journalism student (hence my preference to fully research my topic to obscene ends) who has 17 hours of class, works 10 to 15 hours a week, and spends most of her time interviewing people for my articles for class, and then writing said articles. For once, I would like to write a story that doesn't depend on other people, their quotes, and the information they give me. No phone calls to city hall. No tracking down people. No waiting for representatives to get back to me. And most importantly, no deadlines.

So, having said that, I will say that I _cannot_ promise that this will be updated regularly. Classes do take precedence (as do sources whose schedules I must follow if I want to talk to them), and that will be handled first. However, I will _try_ to update this as much as possible. This idea has bugged me for a while, so I intend on at least taking a whack at this. I haven't done true creative writing in a while, so this may be a bit rusty at first.

…and if you just read all of the above paragraphs, thank you very much for your patience and curiosity as to what I have to say. ^-^

-Vulpecula Night


	2. Kjuhte

Okay. So, I know that I already explained that I couldn't promise that this would be updated regularly. However, I still feel like a horrible author for not giving this the attention that it deserved. I have left you all hanging for just over seven months. _Seven_. Inexcusable, even for someone with my schedule. I deeply apologize to all of you.

However, in those past seven months, I graduated from the University of Illinois with a BS in Print/Editorial Journalism and have been accepted to go back for my Masters in Journalism. I've dealt with some personal issues, had a slight nervous breakdown (school sometime does that to me), dealt with a friend with possessive, nearly stalkerish issues towards me, and started a relationship. So, in a small, tiny, nearly miniscule defense, I've been busy. Seriously though, the first part of this chapter has been sitting on my computer since December, and I've been stuck ever since. Then, on July 3, the bunny bit me, and now I'm back.

Also, I must say that I am shocked at how many people have looked at this story: over 650. I am in awe, and I would like to thank each and every one of you for at least clicking on this and checking it out. To all of those who have added this to their alert and favorite lists, again, I deeply thank you. I'm also flattered to have been added to a Community. And last, but definitely not least, to those who have reviewed. Your comments are what spur me to drop what I _should_ be doing, and write instead.

Same as before, I don't own either Aliens or Predator. The miscellaneous crew members and other personnel of the Piper Maru, though, are mine.

* * *

Chapter 2: _Kjuhte_

"C'mon you frozen…piece of…_shit_!"

Lex growled viciously as she punctuated each word between the pauses of her cry with a swing of her hammer. Her unfortunate target was the frozen brakes of the arctic truck she was currently lying under. After the departure of the alien ship, she had quickly looked for one of the vehicles the team had brought with them. Many of them had fallen into the vast chasm that was now just settling, or were far too close to the precarious edge to risk moving without disturbing the already destabilized ice. However, luck was with her for once and at least one vehicle still remained nearby.

She vaguely remembered that the head of the drilling crew had ordered the men to keep the trucks running. Besides keeping the cabins warm, the running engines also kept the motors from freezing in the Antarctic air. If the trucks had been turned off shortly after their arrival, there was very little to no chance that she would be able to turn the engine over, at least not without help.

Just because the motor was running though didn't mean that the rest of the vehicle wouldn't freeze over. After prying open the door of the truck and climbing into the cabin, she went to disengage the brakes holding the truck in place only to find a force of resistance barring her success. With a groan of dismay, she scoured the cabin for anything that could help her with the ornery machinery. Finding a heavy-headed hammer, she reluctantly opened the door once more and left the blessed warmth of the cabin and braved the frozen whip-like wind outside. Hence her current position beneath the truck.

Lex was thankful that the treads of the vehicle blocked most of the wind just a few feet beyond her. However, since she had lost her jacket in the pyramid and her harness to the queen's acidic blood, she currently only had her sweater and another undershirt protecting her torso from the elements. She shivered as the melting snow, caused from her body heat, soaked into her comparatively thin garments. Her hands had long passed the numb stage and were beginning to prickle with the pain of invisible pins and needles. Lex knew that hypothermia would soon set in if she didn't get back to the cabin in the next few minutes or so.

Satisfied after a few more whacks to the brakes, she crawled out from under the truck and was immediately met with a blast of snow and wind. Ducking her head and wrapping her arms around her, she dashed for the side of the truck and quickly yanked open the cabin door and climbed inside. She sat for a few minutes, rubbing her hands as she attempted to adjust to the abrupt change of temperature. Once she was certain that circulation was once again established to her digits, Lex pressed her foot on the brake pedal, depressed the clutch and switched gears.

The truck gave a shudder and then began to creep backwards in the snow.

Crowing in victory, she eased more on the gas before swinging the vehicle around to face away from the chasm. She then threw the truck into first gear and slowly started the trek back to the Piper Maru.

The rumbling from the engine and the rush of air from the heater filled the cabin for the first few minutes. It was oddly peaceful, almost serene in its normality. She could almost imagine that she was driving back home in Montana during a winter storm. Of course, the temperature wasn't nearly as frigid there as it was here, and there were at least trees nearby and mountains on the horizon. Yet the warmth of the cabin blocked all that, and for the first time in hours, she could finally relax.

That is, until she realized the staccato of chattering teeth that broke the surrounding calm. In her near sluggish exhaustion, she hadn't realized how cold she was, even with the cocooning heat from the truck. It took her a moment to realize that she was still wearing her sweater which was thoroughly soaked. The nerve signals from her limbs finally reached her brain as she began to once again shiver uncontrollably. The Piper Maru was still quite a ways off, and it would be idiotic for her to wait until she arrived to search for dry clothes on the ship. Making the most reasonable decision, she peeled off her sweater and damp undershirt and rubbed her arms in an attempt to keep the gooseflesh at bay. Lex was thankful that her bra was relatively dry as she wasn't too keen on arriving at the ship wearing nothing but her boots and pants, regardless of her justification for her topless demeanor. Yet showing up in her bra wasn't too agreeable with her pride, either.

_Please, please let there be an extra coat in here, _she pleaded as she began to search the truck for some sort of clothing or semblance of cloth to cover herself up.

As she twisted in her seat, she felt an object dig into her hip as the lap belt tightened against her movement. She paused at the momentary sharp bite of pain and looked down at her pocket. Unsure as to what could have caused it, she simultaneously lifted herself off the seat to stretch her body out as far as possible while reaching down towards her pocket. The movement was both awkward and cumbersome, yet after a few fumbling moments, she was able to slip her fingers inside and grasp the offending object. Pulling her hand out of her pocket, she situated herself back into the driver's seat and looked at the item in her hand. Her breath hitched.

The object was round, with curved, pointed ridges. Its top was artfully painted red, white and blue, and the words 'Pepsi-Cola' were stamped in script in the middle. A strip of leather was still threaded through a hole that had been punched through the bottle cap, its ends snapped from strain. A lucky charm. That's what Sebastion had called it.

Sebastion…

The man who had helped her through the pyramid and had found an explanation in the hieroglyphs for the insanity they had endured within its maze. The man whose camaraderie had helped kept her calm when their world was going to hell. The man who had gone back for her when her grip wasn't strong enough to keep her latched onto the remains of the collapsed bridge; whose hands had reached over the side to grasp hers, a heaven sent saving grace, only to be ripped away by the serpentine demon, his shout of surprise, fear and despair mingling with her panicked cry. The man whom she had later found in the egg chamber, covered in God-knows-what, begging for her to kill him, screaming that one was inside of him even as the crunch and bulging of his ribs gave evidence to his claims. His pleas for her to hurry as she raised her gun, apologies pouring from her lips yet not coming fast enough. The thunder like crack as the gun fired, mercifully silencing the tortured man's screams. His body slumping in its slime cocoon, face relaxed, the bullet wound in his skull the only thing marring his peaceful façade.

The friend she had been forced to kill due to a series of horribly unfortunate events. The friend who's supposedly lucky bottle cap now rested in the palm of her increasingly shaking hand.

Now, adrenaline is a blessed thing. It allows the body to keep going even under the most stressful of situations and push far beyond its regular limits. Fight or flight becomes its only agenda, survival the most important item on its 'to do' list. Yet like any other high, the crash must come, and the landing can be just as brutal as a true fall from a ten story building.

And Alexa Woods had just dropped from said building with the ground coming up fast in …

Three …

Two …

One …

Impact.

Her breathing became ragged as she desperately took shallow breaths, gulping for all her worth as the walls of the cabin closed in on her. Her vision spiraled and pigeonholed on the bottle cap in her hand, everything in her sight blurring save for that one, tiny object. Almost impossibly wide, hazel eyes focused on the item that, if it were under different circumstances, would be so universally insignificant that it would have been laughable, yet as of right now, was the source of her mental shattering.

With a primal cry of agony and despair, Alexa's world came crashing down as the events of the previous twenty-four hours hurtled at her with a startling clarity, the emotions and memories as sharp and raw as glass itself.

_Oh my God! Oh my God! They're dead. All of them! _ She mentally screamed as she continued to wail and whimper. Her hand unconsciously clenched over the bottle cap, fingers tightening over the object until it bit into her hand. The sharp sting brought an ounce of clarity to her mind, one that she instinctually fought. After bottling everything for so long, forcing it to the back of her mind to be catalogued and dealt with later, the ignored emotions surged forth like a tsunami, taking out everything in its path. She _needed_ this, and the primal part of her mind refused to let go, mental teeth grappling with the higher functions of her brain. Logic was not needed at this time. Logic could not even pretend to understand the true process of shock, of just letting go and allowing the mind and body to cope. For the moment, logic had to take a back seat to its evolutional predecessor.

Taking shallow gasps of air, Lex grieved for those who were lost in the pyramid, bodies crushed and obliterated beneath the ruins of the structure and the tons of ice that collapsed on top of it. Countless of lives shattered, their loved one's never knowing what truly happened to them. Brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children … all lost, the wound digging ever deeper with the knowledge that there would be no bodies to bury. For many families, closure would be something only glimpsed on the horizon, yet would probably never fully be obtained. The empty coffin would only be a reminder of what was missing, the tombstone a mockery.

And they weren't entombed alone down there, either. Lex let out another string of sobs as she fully realized the true horror of what they had faced. Serpents, something that could only have been straight from myth, one that must have involved some great, demon god, had lurked in the shadows of that godforsaken pyramid. A lean, eyeless body of moist-looking, jet black skin with dripping fangs and a parasitic like tongue … Lex shuttered violently. It would haunt her dreams for years. And they weren't the only ones, either. No, no, no. Those muscled behemoths that would make even the Olympians of myth tremble, armed with spears, nets, guns, and … were those throwing stars? Masked warriors. And they hunted those things for sport, a rite of passage? What the hell? And their leader had even given her a sp-

Lex inhaled deeply as her eyes widened again. She slowly, yet jerkily, turned her head towards the passenger seat. Sitting there, ever so innocently, was the retractable spear that the leader of the hunters had given her. She blinked a few times, not understanding the object for a moment before it suddenly clicked.

"Oh my god … I met aliens," she whispered quietly to herself. "I … met … mother-fucking _aliens_."

At this moment, logic forcefully shoved the primitive functions back, locking its cage and once again took the reins.

Lex leaned back against her seat as she stared in front of her. She let out a calming breath, her hand relaxing around the bottlecap as she let her mind fully comprehend what she just said. _Aliens_. _I just encountered two races of aliens. One tried to kill me, and I helped the other kill it. And I was rewarded a spear for my efforts from their leader before they flew off in their giant spaceship … Right. Okay. When in the hell did I step into the world of Gene Roddenberry?_

After taking a minute or so to realize that it was now proven that humans were not alone in the universe, a more terrestrial realization hit her: those upon the _Piper Maru_ had no clue what happened, and she was the lone survivor out of an expedition of 100 or so.

"Fuck," she swore violently, tossing her head against the headrest. "What the hell am I going to say?. 'Yeah, two alien races duked it out down there, and we were just the casualties. But I escaped. See? No harm done. Just a little cold, so can I have a blanket now, please?' Yeah, no, they'd lock me up somewhere in that ship until we got to dry land and then place me in an asylum," Lex muttered darkly. "Accident, maybe? Closer to the truth, but what are the odds that everyone but me got killed in a cave in? They might think _I _did it."

Lex wracked her brain for possible explanations to give to the crew and more than likely, the bigwigs at Weyland Industries. Yet there were problems with each one she conceived. With being the only survivor, it was highly likely that they would look upon her with suspicion. Also, if they chose to excavate the site (a risky yet likely scenario, given the poor decision making of CEO Charles Weyland to speed up the expedition at the cost of proper training), the complete lack of evidence of the pyramid due to the hunter's bomb would be difficult to explain. Not to mention that it was projected that actual drilling would have taken days, not hours. By all rights, according to the schedule, they should still be in the beginning stages of drilling. How would that be explained?

Deep in her thoughts, Lex jumped when static filled the air. She nearly gave herself whiplash as she turned to look at the CB radio in the console, the sound emanating from its speakers.

"_Groomer, groomer,* this is the Piper Maru. Do you read me, over?_"

Lex emitted an unintelligent sound as she stared at the device for a moment before she scrambled for the microphone. She paused, licking her lips, before hitting the talk button.

"This is Groomer, I read you. Over."

"_Who am I currently speaking too?_"

Pause.

"Alexa Woods, environmental technician and lead guide for the expedition."

"_Ms. Woods, what are you doing on your way back here? You aren't due for at least another week._"

Lex closed her eyes and bit her lip, praying that this would work.

"There was an accident. The ice collapsed. I was the only one to get out alive."

There was a long pause from the other end, the cabin absent of the sound of static. The seconds ticked by slowly. It felt far too long for Lex.

"… _what of Mr. Weyland, Ms. Woods?_"

_He died to save us, killed by a stab wound from a 7 ft. hunter alien, _thought Lex as she remembered the ailing man. His sacrifice gave them the time they needed to escape. She smiled bitterly. _You'll be remembered for more than the loss of a few stocks, Mr. Weyland_.

"He was lost to the ice. The entire shelf that Razorback Point was sitting on collapsed. Only a large hole in the ground remains."

Another long pause.

"_Do you have any injuries?_"

"Not many. But I'm fairly certain that I've gone through at least the first stage of hypothermia."

"_Radar has you at about three miles out. We'll see you in about 10 minutes. We'll have the doctor standing by._"

"Understood. See you soon. Over and out."

Lex replaced the microphone and slumped back in her seat, anxiety filling her system. Now all she had to do was convince everyone of her version of events, and hope that she wouldn't be thrown in jail for mass murder. With over 100 personnel dead? Yeah. Easier said than done.

* * *

Translations/Notes

_Kjuhte_: Void

* The official name for these vehicles is a Hagglund (from what I can find, at least). They are under the category of 'snowcat,' which are commonly nicknamed 'trail groomers.' Hence the CB nickname of 'Groomer.' I know neither trucker CB nor marine/military radio talk, so please, give me some leeway.

In almost every AvP story I've read so far, they never show Lex going through shock. Now, I know that it can be argued that she dealt with everything in the pyramid, had a 'suck it up' moment, and went on. However, after stressful situations, people go through shock. Soldiers go through it after war: PTSD. Lex, who had arguably never been in such a life or death situation like this, regardless of her occupation of working on the ice and mountain climbing, would have had a mental breakdown at some point.

By the way, that was the most difficult thing I've ever had to write, and the main reason why this chapter took so long. But I'll admit, I'm happy with how it turned out now that it's through.

Feel free to review, leave comments, criticism, etc. Finding a new one in my inbox sometimes is the only thing necessary to make my day. ^-^


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